A PLACE FOR MARRIGE AND FAMILY SERVICES IN EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS (EAPs): A SURVEY OF EAP CLIENT PROBLEMS AND NEEDS

Marriage and family services have not been widely recognized as part of employee assistance programs (EAP), although family and relational problems are widely cited as sources of problems on the job. EAP clients (N = 800, 97% self‐referred) indicated how much family, psychological/emotional, drug, alcohol, employment‐related, legal, and medical problems troubled them and the need for services in each area. Psychological/emotional (66%) and family (65%) problem areas frequently wererated “considerable” or “extreme.” Both areas were rated as “considerable” or “extreme” by 48.6% of participants. In view of the evidence that marriage and family services can be effective with both family and psychological/emotional problems, professionals who are competent to provide such services have much to offer EAP programs.